College naysayers: Apathy may be a choice

Maybe the secret to happiness is not what campus you’re on, but being open-minded and taking advantage of what your college has to offer. In this AP photo, students from the University of Scranton wear togas for fun. (AP Photo)

I like to think of myself as an average student here at the College. My grades are decent. I’m involved in campus organizations. I go to parties occasionally, and overall I’m very happy here. Lately however, I’ve been thinking that maybe I’m not so average. If life at the College is anything like what half the people here say it is like, then nobody must be very happy.

“Everyone here is so apathetic.” This is a phrase I hear often. In fact, I heard it just last week while at work. (Yes, I’m one of the friendly library student employees. FYI, just because I’m behind a desk doesn’t mean I can’t hear the conversation you are having with your friend as I check out your books.) Of course, usually this phrase is colored wonderfully with the additions of “goddamn,” “fucking” or “… that I wish I went someplace else because this place sucks monkey balls.” OK, maybe I exaggerated the last one but it all sounds the same after a while.

In any case, I actually don’t think TCNJers (New term I just made up. Learn it. Love it. Spread it.) are that apathetic. In my five semesters here I’ve seen students do quite a lot on campus. Really, just this semester two guys broke the world record for longest kiss, and they became the first same-sex pairing to do so!

Sure there are plenty of campus events that run low in attendance. But hey, I’m writing my honest opinion here, and so I’m going to just go ahead and say that these events are usually the most boring ones. Honestly, I’ve sat through some lectures here that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemies. People don’t want to hear the political ramblings of someone they aren’t familiar with and can’t relate to. In these cases, it isn’t the students who are apathetic.

People attend events that are well-advertised and, above all, interesting. If TCNJers really were apathetic, I don’t think College Union Board concert tickets would sell quite so well. I don’t think students would appear wielding signs of their own when strange protestors show up in front of the Brower Student Center. In fact, if students didn’t care about anything, then nobody would have said a word when the balls — my bad, “Pixels” — were installed last year.

If you are one of those people complaining that nobody here does anything, maybe you should take a look at your own life. From what I’ve seen (And keep in mind that this is just my observation, not necessarily a fact. You can put down the burning torch and pitchfork, thank you.) the people complaining the most are often the ones who are close-minded and the least involved.

My friends, there is so much available to you here. At the risk of sounding like a tampon commercial, I’m not going to list everything you can do. But just open your mind a little. Try it some time.